In this episode, Ross Dawson speaks with Brian Kropp about how organizations can move beyond AI experimentation to truly drive adoption and performance. They discuss the gap between executive expectations—often aiming for 20–50% improvements in performance—and the current reality of single-digit results. Kropp emphasizes that while the technology is ready, the real challenge lies in adoption: creating the right incentives, redesigning organizational structures, and ensuring leaders are both comfortable and competent with AI.

The conversation explores practical approaches such as focusing on measurable pain points, forming cross-functional teams, and fostering a culture where experimentation and even failure are celebrated. Kropp also shares insights into the future of management, noting how AI will flatten hierarchies by reducing the need for middle managers and shifting leadership toward relationship-building and strategic guidance. Together, they highlight how organizations that embrace AI boldly—accelerating into the “turns”—will be best positioned to gain a competitive edge in the years ahead.

In this episode, futurist Ross Dawson speaks with Suranga Nanayakkara, founder of the Augmented Human Lab, about reimagining the relationship between people and technology. Suranga shares his personal journey of feeling “not good enough” with early computers, and how that experience inspired him to design human-computer interfaces that assist and empower rather than intimidate. He discusses breakthrough projects such as ISee, a wearable device that helps blind people — and travelers like himself — access visual information seamlessly, and Prospero, a cognitive training tool that adapts learning moments to an individual’s readiness and cognitive load.

The conversation explores the Lab’s wider innovations, including AI-augmented reasoning, wearable fact-checkers, interactive tools co-designed with autistic children, and even the concept of an “AI inner voice” that nudges people toward healthier and more confident choices. Suranga emphasizes co-design with stakeholders, context-awareness, and non-invasive augmentation as guiding principles. Looking ahead, he sees the convergence of AI, robotics, and consumer wearables as opening new horizons for technologies that help us make better decisions, learn more effectively, and ultimately become better versions of ourselves.

In this episode, Ross Dawson speaks with renowned computer scientist Michael I. Jordan about the misconceptions surrounding artificial intelligence and human intelligence. Jordan emphasizes that despite advances in machine learning, we are far from understanding the depths of human intelligence, which is not just cognitive but also deeply social and cultural. He argues that current AI systems are largely brute-force tools trained on massive datasets, lacking the creativity, shared experience, and contextual understanding that define human thought. Instead of chasing “superintelligence,” he suggests we focus on how AI can complement humans and enhance overall social welfare.

The discussion also explores the idea of “collective genius,” where innovation emerges not from isolated individuals but through shared knowledge and collaboration. Jordan stresses the importance of embedding economic principles—such as incentives, information asymmetry, and social welfare—into the design of AI systems. By viewing AI as an economic facilitator that helps shape markets and decision-making, rather than as a replacement for human intelligence, he sees potential for technology to empower people. However, he cautions against the concentration of power in the hands of a few and urges for broader, collective approaches that prioritize fairness, adaptability, and human values.

Salesforce’s Chief Ethical and Humane Use Officer, Paula Goldman, joins Ross Dawson to discuss how organizations can design and deploy AI responsibly while maximizing its benefits. She emphasizes that ethical AI is not just about avoiding harm, but about fostering trust through transparency, safeguards, and collaborative design. Goldman outlines practical strategies like adversarial testing, inclusive stakeholder input, and clear escalation processes between humans and AI to ensure systems perform reliably and support meaningful human oversight. She also introduces the concept of “human at the helm,” reframing traditional “human in the loop” models to better suit autonomous, agentic AI while preserving human control over critical decisions.

The conversation also covers AI governance in real-world settings, advocating for iterative, minimum viable governance structures that start with clear goals, basic performance metrics, and heightened diligence for sensitive use cases. Goldman stresses the importance of board-level oversight, diverse advisory councils, and open channels for employee feedback to ensure responsible deployment. Ultimately, she envisions a future where AI augments human creativity, deepens connections, and frees people for higher-value work—underscoring that the technology’s positive potential depends on intentional, values-led implementation.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Ross Dawson speaks with neuroscientist and entrepreneur Vivienne Ming about using artificial intelligence to amplify human potential. Ming shares powerful personal stories—from hacking her son’s diabetes equipment to founding companies that pioneer AI-driven health diagnostics. She explains how true innovation lies in systems that don't replace human ability but instead enhance it—even after the technology is turned off. Drawing on her work in neuroprosthetics and postpartum depression, she explores how human-AI hybrid systems can help us plan better for the future through data, diagnostics, and trust-based, personalized health insights.

The conversation expands into education, metacognition, and the ethical use of AI in learning environments. Ming warns against over-reliance on AI tools that can dull cognitive engagement, emphasizing the need to foster reflective thinking, uncertainty awareness, and diverse problem-solving. She challenges us to embrace AI not as a crutch, but as a partner in discovery—one that enhances creativity rather than conformity. Her vision of the future is one where individual uniqueness is not just preserved but magnified through thoughtful, human-centered design.

In this episode of the Humans Plus AI podcast, Ross Dawson speaks with Matt Beane, author of The Skill Code, about how artificial intelligence is disrupting traditional paths to skill development. Beane shares insights from over a decade of research, revealing that true skill-building doesn't come from formal training alone, but from solving complex problems with expert support. He introduces the “Three Cs” framework—Challenge, Complexity, and Connection—as essential conditions for meaningful learning at work. As AI systems increasingly enable experts to work independently, junior professionals are often cut out of critical learning opportunities, threatening long-term talent pipelines.

The conversation explores innovative strategies to reverse this trend, such as “inverted apprenticeships” and AI-assisted workflows that still involve and upskill junior team members. Beane highlights real-world examples from fields like surgery, software development, and investment banking, illustrating how organizations can re-engineer work to preserve learning while boosting productivity. He urges leaders to demand more from AI vendors—specifically tools that enhance user skill over time—and warns of the long-term cost of neglecting employee growth. This is a must-listen for anyone focused on the future of work, talent development, and human-AI collaboration.

In this insightful conversation, Ross Dawson reconnects with tech pioneer Tim O’Reilly to explore the transformative power of artificial intelligence and its parallels with previous technological revolutions. O’Reilly emphasizes that AI represents a profound shift in how humans interact with machines — continuing a historical trend of lowering the barriers to computation and creativity. Rather than framing AI as a job-destroying force, he urges a perspective that highlights new capabilities, expanded access, and human-machine collaboration. Drawing comparisons to the disruptive impact of the printing press, O’Reilly underscores how democratizing tools lead to periods of upheaval but ultimately unlock greater societal advancement.

The discussion also delves into the concept of “architecture of participation,” where innovation thrives not just through open source code but through communities that share knowledge and build together. O’Reilly warns against the “enshittification” of platforms driven by capital over value creation, advocating for AI development that prioritizes user empowerment and cooperation over monopoly control. With examples from industry, open source history, and his own company’s journey, he illustrates how organizations can become AI-native by fostering curiosity, allowing grassroots innovation, and enabling teams to co-evolve with the technology — turning collective learning into lasting transformation.

In this insightful conversation, anthropologist and former professional rugby player Jacob Taylor shares how his unique background informs his work on collective intelligence and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing from his experiences at the Brookings Institution and initiatives like 17 Rooms, Jacob explains how fostering collaboration through “rooms” aligned with each SDG enables action-focused teamwork across sectors. He emphasizes that intelligence emerges through action and shared goals, and introduces the importance of ritual, community bonding, and feedback loops as mechanisms to strengthen learning and coordination in teams.

The discussion dives into innovative concepts like "vibe teaming"—a new model of using AI collaboratively to synthesize expert insights—and explores the potential of digital twins to represent communities, ecosystems, and even non-human species. Jacob highlights real-world pilots of “interspecies money,” where AI-inferred preferences of gorillas, elephants, and trees influence how funds are used to protect habitats. Ultimately, the episode envisions a future where AI is built bottom-up to serve human and planetary flourishing, powered by a new ecosystem of aligned technologies, inclusive experimentation, and deeply human collaboration.

In this special solo episode, Ross Dawson shares key reflections from his participation in Human Tech Week in San Francisco, where he delivered the opening keynote and led a panel discussion with John Hagel and Charlene Li on the future of strategy. Drawing from that rich conversation, Ross explores how AI is reshaping the strategic landscape—accelerating decision cycles, decentralizing innovation, and emphasizing the uniquely human capabilities of judgment, synthesis, and sense-making.

He delves into themes such as the erosion of institutional trust, the shifting role of leadership, and the balance between long-term vision and short-term action. Highlighting the importance of trust-based relationships, storytelling, and continuous learning, Ross argues that strategy in the AI era must serve not only organizations but also the broader ecosystems and communities they’re part of. He invites listeners to engage with the Humans Plus AI community and continue the conversation as we navigate this rapidly evolving future together.

In this insightful conversation, Ross Dawson interviews Matt Lewis, a leading voice in brain capital and mental health innovation. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in AI and neuroscience, Matt shares how technologies like machine learning and generative AI are being used to identify patterns in mental health, personalize interventions, and support cognitive well-being. He emphasizes the importance of seeing individuals in their full context—beyond clinical data—while discussing the shift toward lived-experience-driven solutions and the growing role of citizen data scientists in shaping more responsive care systems.

The discussion also explores the potential and risks of generative AI in mental health—from offering companionship to the lonely, to the danger of reinforcing cognitive distortions in vulnerable users. Matt introduces the concept of "brain capital," a framework centered on enhancing individual and societal cognitive capacity for a better future. He shares his optimistic outlook on the decade ahead, calling for moonshot goals like eradicating mental illness and preventing brain disorders, while describing his venture studio’s mission to support entrepreneurs building toward that vision.